Ethiopia-Australia-AU summit

Source: African Press Agency,  2011-01-28

Australia offers 1,000 scholarships for African students

APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) The Australian government on Thursday announced the award of 1000 scholarships for African students as from 2013.

The announcement was made by the visiting Australian Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd who made a statement at the opening of the 16th Executive Council meeting of the AU Commission, being held in Addis Ababa.

Accordingly, Rudd said that his government has established the Australia-Africa Awards which offers 400 scholarships for study each year to students across the continent in the areas of development priority for Africa.

“And by 2013, we will offer 1,000 new scholarships each year to support the future skills needs of this continent,” said Rudd.

He also promised to increase his country’s investment in Africa.

“Our mining investment in Africa will grow beyond the $ 20 billion now invested. We have already doubled our level of cooperation with Africa in the last three years,” said Rudd. “We have come here to cooperate on a new level, to build new bonds of commerce, development, investment and political dialogue.”

He indicated that his country was active in mining in Africa with $ 20 billion of investments, in more than 200 companies, and more than 600 projects across more than 40 countries in Africa.

“The people of Africa must get a fair return for the vast mineral wealth that belongs to them,” added Rudd.